The DAV Foundation joins the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI)

Transportation network DAV Foundation has expanded its list of partners by joining the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI), a peer-to-peer ecosystem, aiming to make transportation more affordable, safer and widely available.

The DAV Foundation joins a consortium of automakers, including BMW, Group Renault and Ford, public transportation providers, energy companies, insurance firms and regulatory bodies across the world. This partnership will help provide research and universal guidelines for the future of autonomous vehicles. Moreover, it is a step towards creating an inclusive decentralised network with a diverse group of potential future participants, like providers of car and ride sharing services, charging stations, autonomous payments, pay-as-you-use insurances and taxes. All these aspects will be governed by smart contracts that are secured on the blockchain.

CEO of MOBI Chris Ballinger welcomed the announcement by saying: “Our approach is open and inclusive and we welcome stakeholders from across the mobility value chain to help build our network. We want to inspire a rapid and scalable adoption of technologies by companies in the autonomous and mobility space and the partnership with the DAV Foundation will help drive this.”

The announcement fits the goals of both parties, as CTO and co-founder of the DAV Foundation Tal Ater says: “MOBI and the companies that are part of the consortium share the same goals as us. It’s about companies working together over trustless platforms, because decentralisation is the key to the future of transportation, globally. MOBI has a fantastic network covering a range of expertise that is going to make this a reality.”

This news follows the launch of the DAV Network, an open-source system for transport operating on a global scale. As service providers on the DAV Network do not require any prior commercial arrangements between each other, it makes a perfect addition to the MOBI consortium. Moreover, DAV has previously announced its next step in the development of the network – a decentralised ride-hailing app, possibly eliminating the middleman in the Internet of Transportation. This will meet resistance from companies like Uber and Lyft, as the success of such a network will most certainly put them out of business.